I am looking at trading my '05 Grand Caravan for a '10 or '11 GC. My brother has a '13 and is having trouble with the ignition switch. It will not always start the vehicle or will sometimes start when the key is released. It is not a "normal" key but one of those plastic square-type keys.

Do you guys know of any items that may plague this generation of Grand Caravans that I should look for, or be aware of?

Thanks

I also have an '05 GC and found this forum to be very helpful:

http://forum.chryslerminivan.net/forum.php

You may want to post over there and see what they have to say.

My wife has a 2011 Town and Country which is basically the same as the GC. The pentastar 3.6 v6 engine started in 2011 and I personally like this engine much better than the 3.8/4.0 engines in the 2010 and older models. The 3.6 engine has more power and better fuel economy. With my wife's van we typically see 26-28mpg on the highway for family trips.

My nephew has a 10.Has the same key.He beats it to death and no problems with the ignition.Rocky

Good info, thanks. I think my brother is getting 25-26 mpg loaded down.

I will start focusing on the 2011s.

2011 is the first year for the 3.6 engine. depending when built, they have cylinder head problems,timing chain problems. If you look at a 2011 maybe all the bad ones have been repaired by now?This is not an engine for a back yard do it yourself kinda person can do.yes the 3.6 does get decent MPG's and has some getty up and go as well. I have a 2010 and it has the plastic key as well. I had a 1998 grand caravan and it got better fuel economy than this 2010 with a 3.8 and 6 speed transmission does.I have had this 2010 for about 6 months.2013 could be a push button ignition switch. key just has to be present in order to start. different system.

check for factory recalls they had problems with key switch

My wife has a 2014, no ignition problems in the year we have had it. Much more powerful than the 2005 T&C 3.8 we traded in and also gets upwards of 25mpg on the freeway with a full load of people and luggage @ 80mph.
Also keep in mind these ignitions are tip start so you don't hold the key over in the start position after initial engagement.

Wife has a '10 GC, 4.0 with the entertainment system no navigation. 125k on the clock, I have put wheel bearings, multiple sets of brakes, changed the timing belt / water pump, fixed the entertainment system, changed the EGR due to stalling and a couple weeks ago had to take it to the dealer for replacement of a bulkhead connector that corroded causing the transmission to go into limp home mode. Ive also changed the serpentine belt a couple of times and the idler pulley once. I have performed all the maintenance myself and performed all the repairs other than the bulkhead connector. I didnt have the tools to diagnose the issue and felt I got off cheap as I was concerned it was a real issue with the transmission.

Van is paid off so we will keep it for a while yet but of all the work it was the entertainment system that really irked me. Dealer quoted $2200 to repair. It was an issue with a ribbon that connects to the fold down screens causing the entire system to fail. Did some research on a minivan forum and ended up buying a ribbon off ebay for $20 to repair the system. A little dicey in the middle dropping the entire overhead system but it was a two hour fix abd $20 in parts. Dealer wanted to change overall system, not hard just uncomfortable for me.

We have not had problems with the key but have a current recall on the switch that the dealer does not have parts to repair yet. When I was researching the egr / stalling issue I ran across some neutral safety switch info but no first hand information.

When I actually list this all out and consider we bought it new and havent beat it up I wonder about my sanity but the list on my '03 ram , 5.7 4x4 QC ram is equally as long.